Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has appealed to residents of the state to remain calm amid the impeachment proceedings recently initiated against him and his deputy by the State House of Assembly.
The governor made the appeal during a church service held in Port Harcourt to commemorate the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
Addressing the congregation, Fubara assured the people that the political situation would not destabilise the state.
“I want to urge everyone to stay calm. Everything will be fine,” the governor said, adding that his silence in recent days was intentional. “I draw my strength from God, and that is why I have chosen not to be distracted.”
Referring to comments he made during the New Year banquet at Government House, Fubara remarked that, “Dogs bark when they do not understand,” a statement he used to suggest that criticism and political pressure would not deter him from governance.
He spoke briefly before inviting his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, who had earlier read the first lesson at the service, to address the congregation.
In her remarks, Odu thanked worshippers for attending the service and called on residents to conduct themselves responsibly despite the political tension in the state.
“Every action we take today will be remembered someday,” she said, echoing the sermon delivered by the Dean of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Blessing Eyinda. She also appealed to residents to continue to pray for the administration, describing prayers as “the pillar that sustains the government.”
Last Thursday, the Rivers State House of Assembly formally began impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy, accusing them of gross misconduct.
The lawmakers also alleged that the governor authorised spending without legislative approval.
The move marks another chapter in the prolonged political crisis in Rivers State. Since assuming office in 2023, Fubara has faced repeated impeachment attempts, largely linked to a power struggle with his predecessor and former political ally, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
An earlier impeachment process launched in October 2023 was halted after President Bola Tinubu intervened and brokered a peace agreement between the warring factions.
Although the lawmakers later withdrew the impeachment notice, the truce eventually collapsed.
In March 2025, the Assembly again initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy. Amid the crisis, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, suspending all elected officials for six months. Fubara returned to office in September after the emergency rule was lifted following another peace deal.
The latest round of political tension comes amid accusations by Wike that the governor violated the terms of the most recent agreement.
Fubara has since defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a move widely viewed as a bid to secure political backing from the ruling party.
Despite the renewed impeachment push, Fubara maintained that Rivers State would remain peaceful, urging residents to stay focused and united as events unfold.
